A comparison between Cavour, a Lupo class frigate and the new U212A submarine :

Some AMX of AMI has Grifo radar.

It seems someone is not happy for the C27J prize…..

Raytheon Files Protests of Army-Air Force Selection of C-27J for JCA
By JOHN T. BENNETT

Raytheon filed a formal protest with U.S. federal auditors June 22, asking the Government Accountability Office to scrutinize the Army and Air Force’s selection of the C-27J Spartan in the military’s Joint Cargo Aircraft program, said company spokesman Jon Kasle.
The protest was announced nine days after the Army and Air Force awarded the $2 billion contract to the C-27J Spartan team of L-3 Communications Holdings, Boeing and Alenia North America, a unit of Italy’s Finmeccanica.
The Italian airframe beat out the C-295, offered by Raytheon and EADS. Lockheed Martin pulled the already-in-service C-130J out of the competition last year.
The services received approval to buy 78 planes over the next six years, with 54 going to the Army and 24 to the Air Force. Also approved June 13 was funding to cover the first round of low-rate initial production, which is expected to deliver 13 planes.
Kasle said the company had no comment about the protest “at this point in the proceedings.”

for the same load? that’s pretty substantial

my fear is that as fuel prices go up up up, any potential logistics savings are going to be absolutely dwarfed by fuel costs

Why? The C27J can carry more than c295 (bigger volume). It means that the fuel of 2 C295 are more than enough for a C27J.

as i understand it, anything the Spartan can do, the C-130J can do better (including short field performance)

Yes, as well as anything the C295 can do, the Spartan can do better.
Above all, the biggest range and payload that the Spartan permits, it gives an increase of capability to the Army that can works without the C130 of USAF.

Irtusk,
are you a commercial of EADS?

EADS-CASA claims the C-27J’s fuel and maintenance needs give it operational costs that are over 50% more expensive than the C-295’s

Dude are you joking????
What do u expect that EADS-CASA says about the C27J ant their C295?
A good source……

Open your eyes, look the contenders and read data You will discover a true military plane and not an adapted cilvilian freighter. Or better ask to a military pilot that has to fly Iraq or Afghanistan if He prefers to have an airplane that land and take off quickly, has more safety system or if He preferes a civilian freighter that save the cost of fuel about 15% (not more Eads-Casa says bullocks with 50%), need longer runaways and in case of engine stop has not APU to restart the engine.
:rolleyes:

irtusk,
have you seen th comparison that I posted?
The true difference is that the C27J is a military aircraft, born with military standard. Not the same for C295.
For the Army is important that when in dangerous operation the airplane can operates at the best. C27J chas more Engine Restart Options, Apu, double Hydraulic Circuit, less runaway to land and take off, more power on the engine, etc.

The final aircraft has landing gear, engines, avionics, canopi, etc. totally different at the Yak-130.

... Italian undersecretary for defence Lorenzo Forcieri has formally announced that his government is to grant funding worth €200 million ($270 million) to procure 14 Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainers for the Italian air force …

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/06/05/214393/italian-air-force-to-acquire-14-m-346-advanced-trainers.html

200/14= 14,3 million € (19,3 million $) each one. 😉

So, the total opposite of the Eurofighter idea ?

No, during EF era where the french that went alone. Uk remained alongside the other EU partners.
As well as in EF era the Uk prefer to stay far from France.
Saving the costs is the only reason to share work for France and Uk. No doubts that for many centuries (and probably for a lot still) Uk and France have each other a sentiment of non-feeling. They don’t like each other… but that’s another story :p

If they share the same project and build their respective carriers it will be already a saving of the costs.